Need for Speed Preview: Great but for One Major Concern

It is onerous to imagine that the Want for Pace franchise has been round since 1994, debuting on the short-lived 3DO console. Quick ahead 21 years and nearly as many video games later, the title clearly is not the drive it as soon as was. With the previous couple of entries being lacklustre, Digital Arts (EA) has rightfully taken it again to the drafting board.

This meant taking 2014 off from the yearly launch cycle, with the subsequent title within the sequence slated to launch this November merely titled as Want for Pace. We received to play a demo of the PlayStation four model of the sport on the present ground at Gamescom 2015 to see whether it is definitely worth the wait. This is what you have to know.

Want for Pace not simply in title

It is what you are feeling if you take management of a automobile within the recreation. The sense of pace was exhilarating and addictive. Positive, Want for Pace could have was a simulation through the years with titles like Want for Pace: Shift, however this yr’s version confirmed off its arcade roots. Due to responsive controls and a considerably simple demo observe, we discovered ourselves tempting destiny with harmful overtaking manoeuvres (resulting from a beneficiant increase of nitrous) and taking oncoming visitors head on simply earlier than avoiding collisions with split-second turns. It felt nearly easy, and plenty of enjoyable.

Automotive porn for gear heads

Previous to getting right into a race, we had a couple of minutes to tweak our trip. This concerned all the things from altering the sort of automobile we had, all the way in which right down to the variety of spoilers it might have. And sure, you possibly can put a spoiler on high of a spoiler, which we have been informed is a giant deal. Beauty variations apart, you possibly can even modify variables like tire traction and break bias. The extent of customisation seems surprisingly deep. Nonetheless we’ll have to attend till the sport is out earlier than we will see precisely how a lot could be modified to go well with person preferences. From the appears to be like of it although, it might give 2014’s The Crew a run for its cash.

Strong manufacturing values

One of many issues we had with Want for Pace’s preliminary reveal was that it regarded too good to be true. Powered by the Frostbite engine that is utilized in video games like Battlefield four, Mirror’s Edge Catalyst, and Star Wars Battlefront, we knew EA might pull off an excellent wanting recreation. However with cut-scenes seamlessly merging into the precise recreation in itself, we have been stunned. By way of manufacturing values, Want for Pace is maybe some of the polished video games this era and barring a number of minor instances of texture pop-in, it appears to be like the half.

Night time racing solely

Nonetheless do not anticipate to be racing through the day. We have been given to grasp that the open world of Ventura Bay is a strictly nocturnal affair; this was confirmed by the sport’s official Twitter account again in Could. Whereas it appears to be like good, one can not help however really feel that sticking to single interval of the day might hamper the sport’s selection.

Sure, it is nonetheless all the time on-line, even in single-player

Sadly, the most important elephant within the room nonetheless exists. Want for Pace shall be all the time on-line. And this does not simply imply ensuring you may have a secure Web connection. It refers to having a continuing hyperlink to EA’s servers. So even if in case you have the quickest, most dependable Web connection, if for no matter motive, EA’s servers are down, you will be unable to play the sport. In keeping with Ghost Video games, the developer behind the sport, that is wanted for the sport’s Autolog function, which helps you to compete with associates on a digital leaderboard and allow you to take snapshots of your expertise to share with associates as a type of digital foreign money. Whereas it sounds formidable, on-line plans not often work out as they need to, and have sunk whole studios for EA.

Within the temporary time we had taking part in Want for Pace, it was evident that taking a yr off from its annual launch schedule has helped the sport significantly. Snappy controls and nice manufacturing values make this one of many extra anticipated titles to sit up for when it hits in November. And whereas we’re not a fan of the all the time on-line requirement, hopefully EA will see motive, very similar to it will definitely did with SimCity.

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